Indonesia - a little bit of Arabia in the Indian Ocean

It was classic Jakarta Post. After all the years spent in Indonesia I came to love this paper and appreciate the courage of its journalists. In the dark days of Soeharto, many Jakarta Post writers formed the then banned Indonesian Journalist Association.

In these days of relative press freedom in Indonesia, the Post is as incisive and opinionated as one could want, and puts the Australian celebrity and sports mad media to shame.

Reading the Post one must follow a protocol, taking into account juxtaposition of articles, (a classic Post had the World Bank saying that the poor need access to contraception next to a report on the Pope’s arrival in Sydney). One then checks the stories and related articles above and on consecutive pages for the continuing argument and then the language and concealed irritation in the journalist’s turn of phrase.

So the Friday, July 11 version came as a sour plum to be sucked on over the weekend, eking out the last of its flavour no matter how bitter.

The page one lead announced that nine political parties in the forthcoming national party elections had failed to secure enough electoral support to contend Indonesia’s forthcoming election. Among them was the nominal workers party, formed by old trade union warhorse Mochtar Pakpahan, an Islamic party and several nationalist parties.

At least 34 parties are contesting the election exemplifying Indonesia’s consistent culturally suicidal trait of being driven by egos that want to lead rather than follow.

The party to watch is the PKS or the Prosperous Justice Party which is an Islamist party desperate to hide its Muslim credentials in a program of intense recruitment and camouflage conservatism.

It was the PKS I was told by insiders, who blew the whistle on the nine men arrested recently in Palembang on terrorism charges. They did not want their campaign marred by loony youngsters bombing or killing. They figure the way to power is presenting a legit, socially concerned and law abiding front. It’s likely that they will gain ground in an electorate that is tired of fraud and crony politics.

With lots of money pouring in from Wahabiist Saudi Arabia, the PKS is exerting enormous leverage among the poor majority in Indonesia by contributing directly to mosques and Islamic schools, and by visiting people at home for tabiyah (political education tied to Islamic teachings). They have eschewed gaudy TV advertisements or CD’s of love songs, such as that made recently by current president Susilo Bambang Yudiyono, known as SBY.

“Before we had a singing general (Wiranto), now we have a singing President” snorted Nori a long time activist.

The PKS seem to have tacit approval from SBY and VP Kalla who have attended many of the handover functions and official program launches. Kalla, representing the post Soeharto Golkar party, appears to be very sanguine about the PKS, denying that their Hamas-like health, education and social development programs will foster enough votes to threaten the existing secular parties.

Speaking to the Post he admitted that the PKS are very disciplined and that discipline centres on Islamic ideology. It is the other parties and government’s lack of honesty, social equity credentials and discipline that may attract voters to PKS.

But maybe they are simply attracted by the money. May’s edition of the business-focused Globe Asia, reported that with the fattening economic effect of soaring oil prices, the Gulf states are looking to broadening investments and influence in Asia, and Indonesia in particular. Some have called it a little bit of Arabia in the Indian Ocean, This as a time when systematic corruption, failing infrastructure and the global economic downturn is driving American, European and Asian investment into retreat.

The accompanying photo of Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, looking remarkably like Bono in wrap-around shades and open shirt instead of the typical white dishdasa, marks a move by Saudi in particular to project itself as a modern tolerant state. Saudi recently sponsored an interfaith meeting in Madrid. The projected modernism could not actually tolerate those from other faiths being on Saudi soil.

The Post reported that Islamic militants have become increasingly dependent on zakat (alms) which do not appear on the books as official campaign financing, or go through the Ministry of Finance as official aid. Thus it is difficult in the extreme to monitor just how much influence the Middle East is having on fostering puritan Islamic ideology in the region and Indonesia in particular.

Officials at the Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry fear that the amount of zakat given to PKS will soar both during and after the forthcoming Islamic fast known as Lebaran, enabling them to further mobilise and offer economic assistance to communities at a time when the fallout from rising oil prices is fueling daily demonstrations.

Muhammadiyah, one of Indonesians two major Islamic organisations accuse the PKS of infiltrating that organisation. Muhammadiyah, like the Nahdlatul Ulema is keen to maintain the separation of religion and state in Indonesia, known for its relative religious harmony.

“They are very well organised” says Rita Olivia of the Trade Union Rights Center. “They are recruiting trade union officials to stand as candidates. I know at least three unionists who have agreed.”

“I would rather have a military government than let the Muslim fanatics get into power.” said Siti Ariwono, a Javanese Muslim woman development worker. “We will all have to wear black veils, like those ghosts we see shopping. I couldn’t stand it.” She referred to the increasing number of Middle Eastern women in full black covering in the shopping malls.

“And it’s women who have the most to lose. I am really afraid of what influence the fanatics will have on women” said Olivia. “All the progress we have made as Indonesian women, as a thinking nation, will be reduced by a pile of fanatics.” She and others see well behind the current PKS wallpaper.

Fanatic rather than terrorist is the oft used word. For Indonesians the fanatic is more dangerous than a terrorist, as while a terrorist can kill a few, the fanatic can infect the very soul of Indonesia’s secular state and overturn tolerant coexistence. While Indonesia has experienced outbreaks of secular violence, largely, reputable sources have insisted orchestrated by the military, it does not suffer the same extreme ructions that plague India.

Indera Nababan of the Batak Christian Mission doubts that voters will be taken in by PKS’s austerity and good behaviour. “They still remember the mobs running loose in Kemang breaking bottles and attacking people” he said referring to the times when young men in robes attacked the bars and restaurants of the foreigner’s enclave in Jakarta.

“They know that the PKS has links with the Islamic Defenders Group who attacked those wanting a secular state. We are not so easily wooed into believing they are different.”

But East Java and parts of Central Java are now nominally dry. You cannot buy alcohol there. Even in Jakarta one has to creep to the back of supermarkets and hiss at a passing worker that you want to buy wine. They will then give you a floral covered book which lists what is available. And these days it is not much. The said bottles will be brought from a place out the back and placed guiltily in your trolley. It reminded me of the “Joe sent me” days of prohibition speakeasies.

Indonesian Muslims have seemingly missed that as water was not safe to drink until the 16th century everyone drank some fermented beverages; wine and beer being the most widely drunk, and that many of the world’s great wine grapes, like Shiraz and Syrah, come from Muslim nations.

But that is the nature of fanatics. That they are unswayed by logic, but driven by conformity and costume politics, is a matter of fear for Indonesians.

“Gillettes were not yet invented in the day of the Prophet, so of course he and every other man had a beard” said visiting clean shaven Muslim writer and intellectual Ziuddin Sardar “… If they want to emulate Mohamed, they should throw away their mobile phones and catch a camel to work. Of course they cannot have their photo taken, smoke or watch TV” he laughed.

Past experience has shown that Indonesians reject Islamic parties, so many are recreating themselves in various guises knowing their brand of austere religion-based politics was not selling.

While Asia Pacific TV recently reported that a narrow majority of Indonesians wanted Shari’a law, in reality they simply want any law that works; and Shari’a just might do that by returning some power to communities. People want law that is predictably fair and unable to be bought with money and threats. One laconic Indonesian saying is that a man who steals millions gets away with it, while man who steals a chicken gets 20 years, so you might as well steal millions.

Discussions with workers on Jakarta streets indicated a high level of cynicism. Most indicated they would vote golput (informally). “It’s the same old dirty faces with different clothes. Can you imagine that psychopath Prabowo defending farmers rights?” one said referring to the infamous Special Forces officer who was known to do his own torturing and is now heading a national farmers party.

Another said “I am Muslim but electing an Islamic party is not the path to the future. We will end up killing each other like they do in the Middle East. I want a peaceful life for me and my family. We want clean government and an end to corruption.” Those sentiments were repeated time after time with various degrees of despair and very little hope.

But with the stealth of a cat, the PKS might just use this disaffection to their purpose. By their steady recruitment of activists, trade union officials and others whose opinions hold sway, they just might convince the tired Indonesian population that they are a credible choice.

The Jakarta Post agreed quoting political scientist Syamsul Harris from the Institute of Sciences as saying that recent surveys of voters intentions indicated that the PKS would get up, not because of its Islamic brand, but because it was projecting an image of honesty.

Coming home late, our taxi was overtaken by lot of young men in jeans and robes riding an open topped macho jeep. The rotating police lights gave it all a surreal feeling. Then came the swarm of terrifying young men on bikes who took up threatening positions and parked hard up against the taxi. Our host, a long time Jakarta resident pointed out that these were the highly toxic faces of crime dressed as Islam. “They bust up bars who do not pay protection using the sword of Islam as their cry.” he said.

The taxi driver also scared, slowed to enable them to draw far ahead where young men with red glowing batons directed them to the prospective scene of the action. “That’s interesting. See they are being directed. We will see more of this with the PKS.” my host intoned glumly.

One T shirt I saw on Jakarta streets exhorted people to “Vote for my Moustache” But they might instead, end up voting for beards.